Shadow
by tomhollandstea
Summary: Quinn Arwen and her horse Eloquence arrived at Canterwood Crest. She's excited, she may actually be able to stay out of her parent's shadow, they are great Grand Prix riders and anyone who rides hunter jumpers know them. But she wants to make a name for herself, not just be recognized by her last name. But an old rumor going around may cause problems for Quinn, can she make it? OC
1. I'm Actually Here

"Oh honey, I'll miss you so much!" My mom says, hugging mer around the blue lead rope in my hand.

I squeeze her hard back and she lets go, petting my horse. "I'll miss you too, but I think this will be good for me."

"Are you sure you want to stay? Your father can give you just as many lessons, plus-." I chuckle, cutting my mother off. Both my parents are retired Grand Prix riders, I've been trying to fight my way out of their shadow and being in the heart of horse country in Wellington, Florida, it's hard.

"Mom, we're already here." I say, holding my horse by his lead rope. "If it doesn't work out, I can leave after the first semester."

My moms sighs, patting Eloquence, my horse, on his neck. "Alright, well your tack box is in and I'll call you tonight."

Mom gets in the truck, pulling the trailer along behind it and waves. I stand tall and try not to show my sadness. I'll miss my parents but this is the best thing for me and Eloquence.

Once she's gone, I look at my horse. "Ready Q?" I ask, calling him by his barn name. He sighs and I lead him into the large barn.

I suck in a breath, "Wow." I breath. This place is unbelievable. I've been in my fair share of nice barns but this has topped them all.

Everything in the barn is shiny, the name plates gleam and I can't wait to see what the tack room looks like.

I suddenly feel out of place in the beautiful barn in my stained breeches and skuffed up tall boots. Although Q looks like he belongs here, his black coat shines and his dapples make him look regal.

Students bussle around with their horses and I think it's because its the end of school and lessons are after school, at least that's what I read on the website.

"You look lost." A voice points out to my left. I look over and see a girl with black hair and kind eyes, she holds a english saddle on her waist and a bridle over her shoulder like a purse.

"Uh, yeah." I chuckle. "I just arrived, I'm kind of confused on where to find his stall."

She smiles, "Yeah, I know the feeling. You're a late transfer, thats why. One second, let me put my saddle by my stall and I can help."

I follow the girl to her stall and she puts her tack outside a stall with a gorgeous gray. The gold stall plate says, _Odyssy owned by Allyson Irish._

"Your horse is lovely." I say.

She smiles, "Thanks. I just got him before this term. Well my name is Allyson, but you can just call me Al."

"My name's Quinn Arwen, this is Eloquence." I greet and see her face change.

"Oh my god, aren't your parents Matt and Amy." She almost shrieks. I sigh, of course I couldn't excape my parents shadow here.

"That's them."

"Sorry, I'm a big fan, but if you don't want me telling anyone I won't. Though they'll probably figure out anyway." Al looks sorry.

I wave her off, "It's fine, I came here to escape their shadow. I hope not too many people will recognize me though."

Q stops his hoof, he's usually patient but I doubt even he can be this patient. Al chuckles, "Lets get you to your stall, I have a lesson in about an hour anyway, I can clean my saddle later."

I thank her and she goes to the office, looking on the whiteboard. "Arwen, arwen, arwen..." She mumbles, looking through all the names. "Ah, you're at the end of the barn, lucky duck. I hate being stuck in between two people."

I laugh, "Q will apreiciate it also."

I leave her to put my Westphalian horse in his stall, I should have just looked on the stalls since my stall has a name plate with Q's name on it. I resist the urge to take a photo and put it on Instagram.

I'm actually here.

oo0O0oo

After I put Q in his stall and make sure he's settled in with hay and a large bucket of water so I can make sure he doesn't dehydrate.

I walk to the tack room and my jaw drops, polished saddles and bits are hung up, bridles are perfectly cleaned. I see a locker with my stall number, _unlucky number 13?,_ and find my tack trunk. It seems that everyone else is either busy tacking up or busy riding so no one is really in the barn.

I pull my prized CWD saddle out of my trunk and hang it up, still with the cover on. It's my baby, it cost all of my saved up money since I was seven. Next I take my three bridles out and hang them up, each bridle having a different bit and noseband. Eloquence has a really odd mouth, sometimes he likes going on his Pelham and other times he's quiet enough to ride in a O ring bit with a figure eight noseband.

Everything else that I have in my tack trunk won't fit in my locker, I frown and think. I guess I can put it by my stall, it seems that a few other people had done the same.

I pick it up and drop it again, I huff. I take a big breath and heft it up, kind of failing, walk out of the tack room. Then of course I bump into someone, dropping it loudly. A girl with a pony gives me a glare after it side steps and tosses it's head. I give her a sorry look.

I look to the person I hit and my eyes widen, "Oh I'm sorry." I apologize.

The guy smiles at me, pushing the blonde hair out of his hazel eyes. "No worries, need some help?" He asks and I nod. He puts his bridle down back in the tack room and lifts it for me.

"What stall?"

"Thirteen."

He gives me a smile, "Unlucky thirteen? I wouldn't think they would still use that stall."

I'm taken aback, as he sets the tack trunk down, I tilt my head, "What do you mean?"

He makes a face, "Everyone calls this stall unlucky because every rider who has had this stall before went home before they completed the semester. The last girl who had this stall fell off and broke her leg."

I chuckle nervously, petting Q's nose. "Well enough about that." He says, smiling. "My name's Evan Taylor, yours?"

I point at the stall plate, "Quinn Arwen."

For the first time he doesn't have recognition on his face like people usually do. "Great. Did you just get here?"

I nod, "About thirty minutes ago, I wanted to get everything organized before I found my dorm, I guess I'm procrastinating."

Evan smiles at me, is that all he does? "What discipline do you and this guy ride?" He asks, rubbing Q's neck. My horse closes his eyes and sighs, he loves attention no matter who it's from.

"I'm a showjumper, he loves jumping but I'm not brave enough to event."

"I'm an eventer, but I ride EQ sometimes." Someone calls his name, a girl with three others down the aisle. "That's my que, I'll see you later, yeah?"

I nod and he runs off to his friends, the girls give me a glare and I roll my eyes. Don't tell me a horse school is going to be just like high school.

I sigh, "Bye Q, I have to go find my dorm."

He doesn't care, just goes back in his stall and grabs some hay.

Here goes nothing.


	2. Lunchroom Entertainment

I don't have anything when I walk to my dorm, the Orchard building since everything was delievered that was clothing related to my dorm.

I start getting nervous, I'm not very good with new people let alone riders who are probably better than me. Everyone at the barn always says I'm better with horses than talking to people.

Before this I did school online, my parents were always riding or teaching and didn't have time to get me up in the morning. When I was really little I had a tutor who travelled with us when my parents were competing all around the world.

I walk into the building and is almost run over by a group of giggling girls.

"Sorry!" One calls out to me then disolves into giggles again.

I make a face and my legs threaten to turn around and run back to the barn, I bet I could just camp out in Q's stall, he wouldn't mind.

I shake my head, no I have to do this, I can't stay if I don't push myself in everything I do. That's what I'm here for.

I go up the stairs to the second floor, I'm in room 233.

 _229, 230, 231, 232, 233._

I stop infront of a door that has a whiteboard on it, it says _Sarah Worley_ that has stars placed all around it.

I have my key in my hand and I bite my lip, should I just open it or should I use my key.

I don't have to make my decision because the door opens showing a girl with a surprised face. "Hi?" She greets confused.

I smile tinily, "Hi, I'm your new roommate." Wow that was a stupid way to greet someone, Quinn.

She makes an _O_ face, "Oh! Hi, I'm Sarah. I was actually wondering when you were going to get here. I was just about to go get dinner." She opens the door for me and I walk in.

It's a nice room, larger than mine at home though I didn't really care since we lived above our barn. The bed on the left has a light pink bedspread on it and the one on the right is bare, I know which one is mine.

My three suitcases lay on the bed but I just sit on the bed and lay back on them.

Sarah chuckles, "Come on, I'll give you a tour on the way to dinner."

I groan, "Alright."

Sarah laughs at me, "You can unpack if you want and change."

I look down at myself, "Yeah, I probably should. I'm a mess."

I open my suitcases and put some of my everyday clothes in drawers. My other suitcase has my bedspread in it and some picture frames.

I throw it on my bed, it looks a bit childish but I don't really mind. It has a jumping horse on the blanket with my initials, QAA. My sheets also have a pattern of jumping horses on them and my pillow cases are purple matting everything else.

"Let me guess, Arwen, you're a show jumper?" She asks, looking up from her phone.

I nod, "How'd you guess?"

She snorts, "I ride dressage." She picks up a picture frame of her on a chromey chestnut doing a piaffe.

"He's pretty."

"She but yes." She chuckles.

I finish unpacking, grabbing my two show coats and a few other show items. "Can I put these in the closet?"

She nods, "Yes, thats where I put most of my stuff."

I open the doors and see her shadbelly that is adorned with crystals and her shining boots. I put my sponsor buyed products and take a breath.

"Just let me get changed and we can go." She nods at me over her phone.

I grab a pair of skinny jeans, a rolex t shirt and grab a Winter Equestrian Festival sweatshirt. I walk out and put on my Ariat casual boots.

"Ready?" Sarah asks, looking me over.

I nod.

"I love how you're all horsey, most girls and guys here act like they're here to flirt and not to ride." She rolls her eyes. "I hate it, like go back to Daddy's hunter barn."

I laugh, "So does that mean there are prissy girls here? I was hoping my suspitions weren't true." We leave the dorm and Sarah sighs dramatically.

"Sadly. Don't worry, I'm sure Kendall and her gang wil cause a scene, as usual."

"Can't wait, at least I'll get some entertainment with my dinner."

We leave Orchard and she shows me around campus, there are a bunch of dorms for boys and girls, she tells me different sexes aren't aloud at all to be in the same dorm and only in the common room.

"Seems legit." I shrug, not like I'll have a problem with that. I'm only here to ride and get experience. Maybe even get a few sponsors on the way or get picked for the Junior Olympic team.

I get myself out of my head when she starts telling about the barns, "We have a polo barn with feild, they're the only ones with their own set up. Everyone else has different disciplines in the same barn. But at least we have our own dressage arenas and then you guys have arenas. That's the indoor arena, they only use that for special occasions." She points at a large building beside the barn where Q is stabled at. "Then the cross country course is out in the woods."

"So what about the classes?" I ask.

Sarah shrugs, "They're not hard as long as you're in the right classes, like high school." Great help.

"Though our lessons are a bit hard, they like pushing us. But around the end of the semester, they like to give us a bit of _fun,"_ she rolls her eyes when she says that, "and make us experiment with different disciplines."

I frown, "They what? Like we have to do cross country and...polo?"

Sarah sighs, nodding. "It's stupid, Arion is terrible at jumping and he's almost eighteen hands, how am I supposed to play polo."

I laugh, then sigh, "I came here to get experience jumping, not play around."

"Well you have to get some fun sometimes."

"I guess." Not really.

oo0O0oo

We get to the cafeteria, a large, loud room with people who stare. I hate staring, and the whispers. I should've known that people would though since I am a late transfer.

"Ignore them, people get bored." Sarah nudges me.

I nod and we both grab some food, I grab a salad and a soda and she gets some soup. Everything actually looks good here, but I like eating salad since I have to keep in shape.

Sarah hands me a candy bar I don't reject and leads me to a table with five people. I see Al there, thank goodness I'll know someone.

"Hey Quinn!" Al greets.

"Glad you love me, Ally." Sarah jokes and she rolls her eyes.

I sit between the two of them and Sarah introduces the four others. "Guys this is Quinn and Quinn, this is Alex and Alexa, they're eventers and twins so watch out." I didn't have to guess that they're twins, eventhough one's a boy and one's a girl, they both look very alike. They both have dark brown hair and brown eyes.

"Not all eventers are crazy." Alexa says softly, smiling.

Al chuckles, "And that's Rylan, he's a jumper and Ailen who's just an all around hunter jumper."

Ailen tilts his head, "Aren't you Quinn Arwen?"

I sigh, "Yeah, my parents are Matt and Amy."

"Well I was going to say congratulations at your win at the Junior Grand Prix last week at WEF." He winks, actually w _inks._ "But your parents are pretty awesome too."

"Oh thanks." I try not to blush.

"Stop embarrassing her. She won't want to sit here with us." Al hugs me protectively.

I laugh, "Trust me. I don't know anyone here except you guys and like one other person."

"Who?" Rylan asks.

"I think, Evan Taylor?" I reply and Sarah laughs outloud along with Ailen.

"Good luck with that, he's a man-whore." Sarah says bluntly.

I take a sip of my soda, "I never said I was going to hook up with him, all I said was I knew of him. I have like, no upper body strength so he was helping me with my tack trunk."

"Well just, good luck." Sarah replies.

I roll my eyes and we all eat, Alex telling a story about how his horse, Alento, was terrible in his lesson today.

"A bird actually landed in a bush next to us while we were waiting and he flipped and took off." Alex explains and Alexa laughs.

"I wish I had a picture of his face, I'm suprised he didn't fall off."

Alexa tries to make the face Alex did and we all crack up.

Then suddenly I hear a yell and Sarah giggles, "Here's our entertainment!" I look at Al who rolls her eyes.

"That's Kendal." She supplies as the girl stands up, looking mad.

"I can't believe you did that!" She yells at a guy, it seems to be Evan.

Evan doesn't look phased. "I can do whatever I want."

"Not when you're dating someone!" She shouts at the guy who doesn't care at all. "If you think it doesn't matter, we're through!" At that, the girl storms out and two other girls follow her.

"Wow, they broke up four times this month, that's a new record for Kendal." Alexa says.

I raise an eyebrow and Alex answers me, "They're on and off, who knows what they're doing half the time. Luckyily I don't ride Jumpers, have fun with her and her many horses she disposes each week."

"She sounds like a wonderful person." I reply, trying to make my voice serious but I crack a smile.

"Agreed." Ally giggles.

We finish our dinner and Ailen grins at me, "Want some help after school tomorrow? I'm sure you'll need some guidence since you have to be placed."

"Sure." I reply and Sarah drags me away.

"He totally has a crush on you." She laughs and I roll my eyes.

"I'm only here for jumping experience, I don't have time for boys." I say but she still waggles her eyebrows. I laugh.


	3. Loose Horse

**No one reads this but I keep writing and can't stop so whoops.**

 **Word count: 4, 023**

 _Beep!_

What is that incessive peeping?

 _Beep, beep, beep!_

I gasp, sitting up really quickly. The only time I set my alarm is for horse shows. I immediately jump out of bed until I see that I'm not in my room at home, instead I see Sarah leave the bathroom, dressed in school clothes and towel on her head.

"I was wondering when you would wake up."

I run a hand through my messy hair, "I thought I was late for a show."

Sarah snorts, "Nope, we still have fourty five minutes until class starts, I usually just grab a muffin because breakfast is always gross."

I nod, grabbing some clothes out of my drawers and retreating to the bathroom. I put on some light wash skinny jeans, a tank top and long, gray sweater. I manage to brush my brown waves so it falls nicely and don't apply makeup, I only do that if I break out which I rarely do.

I brush my teeth and smile at myself, then let my face fall to a frown. I'm kind of nervous, I have no idea what to expect.

I leave the bathroom, put on some ankle boots and look at Sarah, who is eating an apple. "Come on, we have some time to kill, we can meet up with Alex and Alexa, they're usually up at the barn plus I forgot my text book in my tack trunk."

I raise an eyebrow and she laughs, "Last minute studying."

I nod and we leave the room, ignoring the everpresent stares.

"So are you nervous for class?" Sarah asks.

I nod, "I've been homeschooled since I was a child, my parents were traveling too much for them to be able to let me go to real school."

Sarah looks at me piting, "I feel so bad for you, school sucks." She says and I sigh. "I would love to be homeschooled, how much work did you do? Did you just ride all day?"

I shrug, "I do, well I did about five hours of school work. Three in the morning then I rode and then in the evening two hours. It mostly worked around my parents schedule but recently I did online school."

"That is so cool."

I smile, blushing a bit. I hate when people fawn over me.

We get to the barn, luckily Sarah and pretty much everyone I know share the same barn. I see Q first and grin, "How boy!" I greet and he greets me with a nicker.

I hug his neck but he hates hugs so he nips me in the shoulder. I rub it and roll my eyes, "Thanks." I pat his nose and hand him a treat out of his trunk.

"This is Eloquence, or Q." I explain to Sarah, she smiles and pats my horse on his cheek.

"Come on, I'll show you Arion." She pulls me down the barn and to the connecting barn where a flashy chestnut stands with a unique stripe.

"Hey babe." She greets and I chuckle, petting her horse's nose and going to give him a treat.

Sarah practically slaps it out of my hand. "He can't have that, he's on a strick diet."

I look at the horse and looks like he's pouting. I pick up the treat from the ground, "I'm sure one can't hurt."

Sarah looks at me seriously, "It can, he could develop an eating habit or something, coach said both of us need to watch what we put into our bodies."

I sigh, putting the treat into my pocket. I hate the people like this who won't reward their horses. We've had a few at our barn who were controlling over their horse's diets and it was really annoying, especially when I was the one feeding and d _oing it wrong..._

"Hey Sarah, Quinn." Alex greets, holding a chest protector that looks ripped.

"Wow, what happened?" I ask, frowning. They're both in riding clothes.

"Our lesson was awful. I got thrown off four times." Alex grumbles, so that's why he looks wet.

"My lesson was lovely." Alexa retorts, looking at her brother condesendingly. "Lyana was great, she even jumped into the water and over the duck."

"I think we should have our water lessons after school."

I frown, "Wait you have two lessons?"

They nod at the same time, "We're on the Advanced team." They speak simutainiously.

"You're doing the twin thing again." Sarah notes and they both roll their eyes.

"We've got to change, we'll see you after school." Alexa says and they leave.

Sarah grabs her textbook, pats her pony and drags me to class.

oo0O0oo

"Okay class, we have a late transfer. This is Quinn Arwen." The teacher who calls herself Mrs. Arnold, smiles at me, kind of weirdly. I smile nervously, waving slightly. "Why don't you tell everyone about yourself."

I look up in annoyance, "Well I'm a show jumper and I have a westphalian gelding named Eloquence." I think of something to add, of course, this is the only thing. "And my parents are, indeed, Amy and Matt Arwen."

Mrs. Arnold smiles brightly, "Well I'm sure since they're so great, you're as great as them."

I hear a snort and see Kendal and her posse, I roll my eyes and take a seat in the back, at an opposite corner.

Mrs. Arnold dives into her lesson about algebra and I'm completely lost. Usually with online school you can work at your own pace but Mrs. Arnold powers on without making sure we even have it.

I huff, flinging my pencil down on the desk after the teacher gives us five problems to do.

"Need some help?" A guy to my right asks, he has brown, curly hair and kind hazel eyes.

"Please." I reply, picking up my pencil feeling flustered.

He gives me a bit of lesson, teaching it better than the actual teacher and I feel like I actually have a hold of it now. If only the teacher would slow down.

I finish the sheet and sit up, there's about five minutes of class left and the teacher is playing on her phone. I look over to the boy and smile.

"Thank you for helping me, I'm not used to school." I chuckle realizing how stupid that sounds.

He raises an eyebrow, slightly smiling. "Zach Bently. Have you never been to school before." He asks sarcastically but I answer seriously.

"Actually no, I was tutured until I was eight then I did online school. My parents and I didn't have time with competing and riding."

He looks impressed. "Oh, I think I saw you at Devon winning the Pony Jumpers. I only remember that round a few years ago."

I blush a bit, "That was me, that was the last win I had on that pony, she went lame from a rusty nail at her lease owners." I frown sadly.

Luckily the bell rings from my akwardness. I get up, gather the heavy books and begin to leave.

"Need help finding-?" He asks but suddenly Kendal and her posse appear at my side.

"Hey Quinn, want some help to your next class?" She asks sweetly, I can see how much makeup she has on her face.

"Uh, sure." I say and they drag me off.

"Who do you have next?" A girl with a dark spray tan asks, diamond necklace and earrings. I really don't feel like I fit in with these girls. "I'm Ashlee, btw."

"English with Mr. Richards." I reply and Kendal squeals, almost making me have a heart attack.

"I have him too!"

"Great." I try to pump as much ethusiasm as I can into my statement. She loses the rest of her posse and laces her arm through mine.

"I see you're a jumper like me, I can help you out if you want, you know with your placement. You'll probably be with me, in intermediate, freshmen let alone late trans, never get advanced first semester." _One can hope I don't get in her division._

"Sounds great, but I already have Ailen helping me."

She wrinkles her tanned nose, "Isn't he the one who hangs out with Sarah and Allyson? I don't like either of them."

I don't reply, just listen to her drawling on and giving the occasion _mmhmm,_ or nod of my head or shake of my head.

Finally after what feels like years of torture, we get to math class, late.

We walk into class and a harsh look man booms, "You're late."

 _Oh I know._ "Sorry, I'm new and Kendal was just showing me to class." I explain, I look and see Sarah and Al looking skeptically at me.

"I see, well next time you're sitting outside my room, I do not tolerate lateness."

I nod and sit in a seat across from Allyson and infront of Sarah. Sarah hisses from behind me, "What were you doing with the Barbie wannabe?"

I look back, "She hooked onto my side like a leach, what was I supposed to do?" I ask.

"She has a point, Sar." Al whispers.

Sarah huffs, "But-."

"Another offence, Miss Arwen?" Mr. Richards raises a dark eyebrown which contrasts with his pale face. "Are we going to have a problem, on your first day also?"

"No sir." It's offical, I hate school.

oo0O0oo

Finally lunch occurs, the last bell of the day sounding telling us we are free to do whatever we please, and what I would please to do is ride my horse.

But Sarah and Al won't let me just go, they're making me eat.

"No, you didn't eat anything this morning and you won't get on the advanced team when you faint." Ally says, pulling me through the line.

I roll my eyes, "I won't get on the team anyway, I heard that no freshman get on the team."

"But you're the daughter of two grand prix legends, you have to." A voice comes from behind me, making me jump. Ailen cuts infront of me, grabbing a tray. "Plus I'm on the team, who wouldn't want to see more of this?" He waves infront of his face.

I raise my hand, "I wouldn't." Ally and Sarah laugh.

Ailen frowns, smirking a bit. "You wouldn't me, Arwen."

We walk through the line and I get a sandwich, small salad and slices of apples and a bottle of water.

We sit where we sat last night for dinner, Alex and Alexa are also there, having a heated argument.

"No, it's not happening, Alex." Alexa snaps, stabbing at a grape.

"Alexa-."

"No." She almost snarls.

"What's up with you two?" Rylan asks when he comes up to sit by Alexa.

Alexa scowls, "My parents told me they want to sell Lyana and Alex thinks I should do it and ride a school horse."

"Right make me the bad guy." Alex crosses his arms. "Our sponsorship is getting cut back so our parents have to pay 1/3 of it now and they want to sell Lyana so we can stay here and show."

"Sell your stupid horse if you want to sell a horse." Alexa snaps, getting up and leaving.

I whistle, "Wow." Alex jumps up after his sister and I can hear them arguing through the cafeteria.

"They fight often but never like that." Ally says, looking worriedly after her friends.

We eat our food quickly and we all walk to the barn, Ailen hitching his arm through mine when we get to the barn. "Come on, I'm close to Mr. Connor."

We go to the office, Ailen opens the door and sings, "Mr. Connor."

"Ailen." He mumbles, rolling his eyes to the ceiling.

"Actually, Ailen and friend." He says, pulling me along into the office with him.

Mr. Connor stands, "Miss Arwen, nice to actually meet you. I saw your mom when you arrived but didn't see you. We actually were on the junior olympic team together."

 _Okay not creepy at all..._ "That's cool, um, I was wondering where my placement ride would be?"

"Oh yes, well you can just ride during the next lesson and I'll place you then."

"That's my lesson." He shakes me and I give him a look.

"Quit Ailen, you'll scare her off." Mr. Connor scolds and Ailen just smirks.

"No one can hide from me."

"Okay, creepy. I need to get tacked." I thank Mr. Connor and pry Ailen off my arm. "I need to get Q tacked, I'll see you during the lesson."

I run off, going to the tack room to grab my saddle. Unluckily, I run into Kendal and her posse.

"Oh hey Quinn. Our lesson is after the Advanced." She purrs, grabbing a sequinned fly bonnet out of her locker. She looks just the part as a trust fund brat, white breeches, spotless polo with glam. Her samshield helmet is custom made with crystals all over.

"Actually, I'm riding with the advanced to be placed." I reply, grabbing Q's pelham bridle.

"But, why?" She whines.

"I don't know." I say, sighing and walking out of the room.

I go get Q out of his stall and put him in the cross ties. I groom him quickly and put on a light blue saddle pad and my saddle on, then I put on my running martingale and cinch him up.

I put on his white front boots and wrap his back legs with light blue polos. Then I put on his light blue fly bonnet with my sponsor's logo.

I grab my charles owen helmet and Ailen somehow meets me outside the barn. He throws me an easy grin. "I was thinking you would need help on finding our arena."

I sigh, smiling. "I believe I do."

I look at his horse, which a pretty bay with two socks. "Come on." He says and we walk over to a big ring with large jumps set up.

They look huge, even though they're probably the same height I jump at home. Suddenly I'm nervous.

"You'll do fine." Ailen says like he's reading my mind.

I give him a look and mount up, beginning on the rail trying to stay out of the way of the other riders.

Three other riders are in the ring, working around the fence.

I walk Q around on a loose rein so he can stretch out his neck and topline. Then I push him up to a trot, working like that until I push him into an extended trot, his body pushing and working his hindquarters.

I squeeze his barrel and then he jumping into a canter, everyone else is still working at a trot so I just work in a circle at the end of the ring. Then I create a figure eight in between two jumps and work on his lead changes.

"Come and line up!" Someone calls and I look over and see Mr. Conner.

I obey, letting Q rest after our warm up.

I halt Q by Ailen and his horse Crescendo, who snorts noises with Q and squeals like a mare. Ailen laughs, patting his horse, "He thinks he's a mare."

I smile and about to reply when Mr. Conner begins, "Quinn Arwen will be in our lesson today for placing."

"Arwen? You're the Arwen's daughter." A girl with an IRH helmet almost squeals.

I nod, blushing a bit. "Okay, calm down." Mr. Connor saves me. "I've set up a course, Quinn, you'll navigate it then you'll have a jump off. No walking the course."

I feel myself getting nervous and try to shake it off. I nod, "Alright."

Mr. Connor points out the course, there are about eleven jumps, all looking pretty intimidating with their colorful inserts and wind prints. "These are set at 1.30 meters, that's how high the advanced team goes. If you stay here long enough, our Jr varsity and Varsity go up to the International levels. Not like you haven't before."

I blush again, I've shown at International levels in Europe because it had classes my parents were showing at, but I've never shown at the 1.50 classes they used to. I've played around with my father's grand prix horse, Whisky, but my parents never wanted me to show higher than I was ready to.

He points out the course, nothing too difficult, a triple combination then a rollback, everything else is easy.

I start Q at a trot and put him next to the liverpool, something I know he would spook at. He snorts, sniffing at the water then sighs.

I start him up at a canter, I nod to Mr. Conner who gives me the signal to begin my course. We head to the first jump, an airy vertical with red paint. Q clears it with ease, his long limps jumping gracefully.

Usually when we jump Q wants me to stay out of his way, so I do. If I catch him in his mouth, that's what causes him to run out or refuse, so I leave him on a pretty loose rein and only pull when we turn or I feel him getting too strong.

We clear the next two jumps, two pretty easy ones, then go to the roll back, we jump the first jump then make a U-turn, going to the rainbow filled jump. I feel him get a little too quick and half halt him, he jumps and rubs it. I hold my breath but don't hear the sound of the fall.

Next is the liverpool, I'll have to add extra leg if I feel him get too flat. Just as I expected, he starts to slow down so I squeeze and he relies on me, trusts me that the water won't hurt him and flings us over. He jumps me out of the tack, almost causing me to fall, I bet he jumped the poles a whole two feet over.

I reseat myself without slowing and canter over to the triple combination, since I didn't walk the course, I'll have to eyeball where the striding would be.

 _Three, two...one, up!_

He clears the first one, then three strides later the second, I suck in a breathe as I count the next strides. The last jump is a large oxer and he needs to be put at the perfect distance.

I see the distance right and he takes off, clearing the last jump with ease. Then next jump is a triple bar, pretty intimidating since it's larger than the average oxer and just as tall.

"Up!" I call when we get to the base and leaps over, as nimble as a cat.

The last jump is a simple vertical and he jumps that fine. I pat him, grinning widely. "Good boy, Q!" I smile, rubbing his neck.

He lets out a playful buck, not enough to unseat me and I laugh.

Mr. Connor looks impressed. "Okay, the jump off will be six jumps, a galloping course."

He points out the course and it's hard, it takes a lot of tight turns and cutting jumps.

I start Q up again and he isn't even tired. I salute to Mr. Conner and he lets me start.

I urge Q into a hand gallop and he complies, I sit to the fast pace and he launches over the first jump, right as we land I turn tightly to the jump that's at a nighty degree angle to the first jump.

He slows down a bit and that's fine since it's a airy oxer, I just keep my leg on and he jumps over, rocking the pole in the back.

We gallop to the jump on the other side of the ring and jump it, then go to the complex which is the hardest I think. It's set like a T. You just the left side then circle around the outside jump, jump the right side and circle all the way around to the last jump.

But Q is fast, tall but fast, my old horse was awesome as turns, he was only 15 hands and could turn where the big horses couldn't inbetween the jumps. But Q can do it, he can turn and gallop which is enough for me.

We get to the first one in the complex, I hit it at an angle so I can turn quickly. He scurts around quickly, jumping the second one. Then we land, on the way to the last jump when I feel his hindquarters slip out from under him, I press on, hoping his legs will come back. They do, of course because he's awesome.

He lifts over the last vertical and doesn't touch it.

When we land, I'm grinning like I won a class, and I pat his neck on both sides. "Good boy, Ello!" I exclaim.

We trot back to the group, Q is sweating and still hyped on adreline so he won't walk.

"Congratulations Quinn Arwen. You're on the Advanced team!" Mr. Conner grins.

I beam back, and one of the other riders congratulates me. "Thanks."

"I knew you could do it, Arwen." Ailen smirks back at me.

I roll my eyes, "You're all knowing, I know."

"You're ride was awesome. I saw how you saved your horse." The girl who almost died whne she heard I was an Arwen says.

I smile back and am about to say something when Mr. Conner interupts me. "Well you can sit out this lesson since you've already ridden. Our lessons are fourty five minutes after school at 2:45 and don't be late."

I smile, "I won't." I leave the arena and turn toward the cross country course rather than the barn. I was told there are some trails so I might as well cool him off there.

I pull out my phone when we are out of sight since I'm not sure how they tolerate that. I let Q drop his head and graze a bit while I click on an icon.

The phone rings and I'm greeted with a very breathy, "Hello?"

"Hi, Mom. I wanted to call since I didn't last night but if you're busy that's fine."

She's quiet for a moment, making me think that I lost signal. "No, it's fine. Your father is teaching the Hunter kids and I don't trust him very much."

I laugh and smile, I miss my parents. "Well, I wanted to say, I got on the advanced team!"

"That's great Honey!"

"We're jumping 1.30 meter courses and I think we show at least twice a month. The trainer is super nice, but hard, like dad."

Suddenly, Q flings his head up and half rears, twirling and taking off. I'm off just as he spins and I land in a heap.

I've lost my breath but I'm up off the ground before I catch it, I weaze and hear my phone buzzing. I'm surprised it hasn't broken.

"Quinn? Quinn are you alright?" My mother's voice is worried.

"Yeah." I weeze, then feel a little ashamed. "I was sitting on Q and he spooked and took off.

I start at a run the way he went which was back toward school. My mother begins a rant and I cut her off, "I have to go."

I end the call before she can't protest. I sprint and see him galloping ahead, "Loose horse!" I scream.

A cross country lesson is coming and they all look up, "Quinn?" Alex asks.

I nod, "Q got away from me." I feel really stupid.

I see Eloquence skid to a stop.


End file.
